Disbarred Las Vegas lawyer pleads guilty to felony charge

A disbarred Las Vegas lawyer pleaded guilty Wednesday to making a false statement to federal agents, a felony.

Valner Johnson, 53, was indicted in November and pleaded guilty as originally charged.

According to a statement from the U.S. attorney’s office, Johnson made false statements to FBI agents who were investigating his attempts to bribe an individual he believed was a bank employee.

U.S. District Judge Philip Pro is scheduled to sentence the defendant Aug. 22.

In April 2010, one of Johnson’s legal clients reported to the FBI that Johnson had solicited the client to locate a bank employee who could assist Johnson in carrying out a scheme to misrepresent his bank balance to third parties. Johnson planned to use the scheme to make large profits.

The FBI began an investigation and used an undercover agent to pose as a bank employee. The FBI collected information about Johnson’s intent to bribe the bank employee, and on July 28, agents executed search warrants at his home and law office.

Johnson was interviewed by agents and denied that he had asked the bank employee to verify falsely to third parties that he had more than $500 million on deposit in his bank account and that he had asked the bank employee to provide him protected internal banking codes. When he made the denials, according to the statement from the U.S. attorney’s office, he knew they were false.

According to the State Bar of Nevada website, Johnson obtained his license to practice law in Nevada in October 1990. Earlier this year, he was disbarred for life.